Nursery World - Year long inquiry into UK education calls for a 'significant boost' to early years funding

A new report finds the education system is ‘failing’ and calls for wide scale change including reform of Ofsted, increased early years funding and measures to ‘level the playing field’ between advantaged and disadvantaged children.

The Times Education Commission makes a number of recommendations for the early years sector, PHOTO Adobe Stock

It is based upon a year-long inquiry into education from ‘cradle to grave’ by the Times Education Commission which was set-up last June.

The inquiry encompassed regional round table meetings, school visits, international trips, youth panels, parent focus groups and interviews. The Commission heard from more than 600 witnesses, including 13 of the people who have served as education secretary over the past 35 years and two former prime ministers.

The report highlights how early years provision is ‘often treated as a babysitting service designed to help parents return to work, rather than the first crucial steps in education.’ In comparison, it says that nursery teachers in Finland and Estonia are ‘respected as educators and are required to have a degree. It states that ‘In England, they (early years staff) are frequently paid less than supermarket staff and have minimal qualifications.’

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